This series was not consistently reserved for the letters signed by the Private Secretary; many are signed by the Governor and in any case the distinction between the two kinds of letters varies from Governor to Governor. Some officials and settlers wrote directly to the Governor or to the Private Secretary rather than through the normal channel, and the replies to many such communications are to be found here. There is no hard and fast distinction between this series and GO52, and both should be consulted in searching for replies to inward correspondence; some of the letters in GO39 and GO40 are answered in the copies to be found here. There are indexes of addressees, with sub-entries indicative of subject, in each volume for the period August, 1826 to January, 1869.

These records are part of the holdings of the Tasmanian Archives